Britain’s foreign minister arrived in Cuba on Thursday in the first such visit since 1959, to hold talks on cooperation in “financial services, energy, culture and education”, London announced.
It follows last month’s landmark visit by President Barack Obama to the Caribbean nation as part of a historic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States after 50 years of enmity stemming back to the cold war.
“As the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Cuba since before the Cuban Revolution in 1959, this is an opportunity to hear for myself what Cuba thinks about its present challenges and where it sees its future,” Philip Hammond said.
Fidel Castro says he’s nearing the end of his life, as brother Raul retains power until 2018
He is to hold a series of meetings with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez and other government leaders, according to Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Hammond is also to sign a “bilateral agreement restructuring Cuba’s debt to the UK” and agree on future cooperation in a range of areas from financial services to energy and education.
The foreign minister also hopes to raise the issues of social and economic changes in Cuba, human rights, trade, and the response to health issues such as the Zika virus.
